Actinic Express 2.0 review

Take the sting out of building a website with idiot-proof e-commerce creation tools

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Our Verdict

A good option for those looking for a simple and effective way of setting up an online store

For

Good options

Nice interface

Easy to use

Against

Can be expensive to maintain

Coming three years after the launch of Actinic Express, version 2.0 of the 'shop in a box' software promises several key improvements.

A major part of the appeal is the Startup Wizard that holds your hand through the construction of the store's key pages – your company information, terms and conditions, tax and shipping info, payment and credit card settings.

If the original package was criticised for anything, it was for its limited scope. Version 2.0 tackles this head-on, providing 12 predefined themes, 60 colour schemes and customisable fonts.

It also features enhanced order processing, payment integration with Google Checkout and Google Analytics support.

Actinic Express might not be the most fully featured ecommerce solution, nor the cheapest to set up and maintain. But it's undoubtedly one of the easiest to get to grips with, and if you outgrow it, you have the option to upgrade to a meatier Actinic product and take your database with you.